Initial Impressions

I've been in Copenhagen for a week now, and I'm only finding time to write this due to an unfortunate decision by one of my new professors to NOT photocopy a required reading and put it in the compendium (a large bound packet of readings and information) that we were given for the course.  There are perhaps 30 students and 8 books, all but two of which have been put on reserve.  The other two have been taken without being checked out.  I know this because there are no librarians in the library until 5 today... and I was told that there were 2 copies on the shelves this morning.  So... I am waiting until I can get my hands on one and leave.

The reason I'm in such a hurry to go home is that home is pretty far away.  Something between a 45 minute and 1 hour commute, depending on if I catch the exchange just right and if there is railway traffic.  I didn't even know there was such a thing.  The town I live in is called 'Greve' (pronounced grey-ve, with the r rolling in the back of the throat).  And technically, it isn't even a town- it's a village.  There are maybe 2,000 people, which may be an overestimate, and one very cute village store.  They have their own train station, serviced by the 's-tog', the regional trains of Copenhagen, E and A route.  BUT my family lives a good 5 kilometers from the station, which a reasonable bike ride, but not a reasonable walk.  So, I have to take a bus, the 600S, from my closest stop, about a block away, to the station.  And, I would ride my bike, because I've been told by my host parents, Henning and Inga, that it's usually faster and more convenient, but the weather forecast has called for rain and strong winds since I've been here.  And that isn't really preferable biking weather to me.

In fact, the weather here hasn't been entirely preferable.  Or really preferable at all.  To anyone.  I guess this has been an incredibly wet season, and they have gotten twice as much rain as normal this month.  And it's so much rain that not even the farmers like it.  I would know, Henning used to be a farmer.  What I find most impressive about the weather however, is how quickly the weather changes.  The clouds move with visible speed in the sky- like nothing I've ever seen before; a downpour turns into sun in a matter of minutes.  Yesterday, in fact, I went with some other DIS students to a cafe after we were done with orientation, and it rained and stopped two or three times while they were eating (and I was drinking a chai latte).  It was actually funny to watch, because the Danes seemed to understand this fickle weather, and the pedestrians and cyclists simply moved off of the streets and sidewalks to wait it out under store awnings.  For a few minutes the streets were completely empty (something I have not seem any other time here), but then, as soon as it had begun, it ended, and everyone went back on their way.

Probably the second most interesting thing I have begun paying attention to is the food here.  First of all, it is incredibly expensive.  Well, I guess everything is incredibly expensive- they say about twice as much.  But, I mean, it's a little ridiculous.  I street vendor hot dog, a pølser (which is really, really good by the way) is 25 DKK, which translates to about 5 dollars.  A hamburger with fries at a restaurant can be as much as 22 dollars.  Yikes!  However,  I've found all of the food very delicious- they seem to really like salt, sugar, butter, and pork, so everything is very flavorful.  I think a lot of things they eat are probably looked upon with a little skepticism by foreigners (especially Americans, who have little experience with European food culture), but mostly I've found it appealing.  They eat a very dense rye bread (which, I think they think is the only kind of rye bread) almost religiously, and frequently use it to make open-faced sandwiches called smørrebrød.  It frequently involves both butter and pork on top.  But, while many DIS students I've spoken with seem to detest the rye bread, I actually really like it on the smørrebrød.  The butter (or, alternately, mayonnaise) adds the necessary moistness to the bread, and I like the flavor.  Especially when put in a packed lunch the evening before, and then let to sit overnight.  I was really proud of myself, actually, because last night I made my packed lunch (a common Danish way to avoid the expensive prices of restaurants in the city) for myself.  In my little box (with a picture of the Sun Maid raisin lady on it) I had one open-faced sandwich, made with mayo and salami, a carrot, a sweet Danish pickle, a brownie cookie, and a PB&J on white bread.  Which, for the record, was a big deal.  Peanut butter is hard as hell to come by here.

My packed lunch of smørrebrød, tomatoes, and a cookie the first day.

But, I have probably the nicest host family I could imagine.  They have had 3 previous DIS host students, and seem to already understand everything I am going to need.  So, they had already found the peanut butter.  And nutella.  Plus, Inga is a really amazing cook.  I hope someday once I'm settled she'll teach me how to cook some of the food she has been preparing, but so far she's done it all.  And it has all been SO good.  We had frikadeller (pork and beef/veal meatballs that are panfriend), hakkebøf (basically beef patties, served with cooked onions and gravy on top), grilled pork, rice, salad, and of course... potatoes.  I'm getting the impression that Danish people really like potatoes.  Not that I mind.  Potatoes are a pretty unoffensive starch.  Besides that, they definitely like beer.  Locals like Tuborg and Carlsberg are available in every corner store (most of them a 7-elevens), and because there is no law against open alcohol containers in Denmark, they are frequently seen on the train and bus at all hours.  I guess drinking is legal at the age of 16 here, and like in the US, they start earlier than that.  So, by the time they reach 21, they have very tolerant livers.

I guess you could say Greve is a little inconvenient because of the travel time, especially if I want to stay out at night (when the bus stops running, and the train only comes once an hour or so), but I like it nonetheless.  The house is brick covered in a thin, sleek layer of plaster, with a red tile roof (I thought I was leaving those in California!).  Some neighboring houses even have real thatch roofs! The village then, has the feeling of a quiet, quaint, old countryside.  Best of all about the house, they gave me a big room all to myself with a breathtaking view out over a wheat field.  In the morning, when the sun is still low, you can see the rows made by the combines, and the rhythm and color is so beautiful.  I've never lived in the country, so I guess I'm probably just not used to it, but really.  Every morning out my window.  And on my way to the bus.  And on the way home in the afternoon.  It's probably one (of several) highlights of my day.  Another thing I like (slightly less) about my room is the bed.  When I first walked in, I thought I didn't have one, because all I saw was a desk, a crib (for one of my host sister's friend's daughter), a love-seat, and a couch.  But, it turns out a very frequent substitute for a 'real' bed in Denmark is either a futon or a couch with a roll-out bed.  And no, I don't mean like a bed hidden under the couch.  I mean, there is a bed rolled up behind the back cushions.  When you're ready for bed, you take off the cushions, undo Velcro straps on either end of the couch, and unroll a pillow-top, a bottom sheet, and a comforter, as well as a pillow.  For the record, the comforter thing is pretty cool.  They are incredibly warm, and very soft and cozy.  But this time of year since it isn't too cold yet, they can be too warm, so I usually end up curled to one side of it, or with the bottom half of me sticking out from underneath.

The view as I walk out the front door in the morning.

Aside from the basic living conditions, and cultural norms, I have seen some amazing places here.  Over the course of orientation activities and personal wanderings, I have seen: 1.) The Støget, which is the longest pedestrian shopping walk in the world and has expanded itself into other side streets as well.  It has a slight touristy impression, but I guess I can't complain as I would say for now I still count as a tourist.  But it also has some high-end shopping, and some more reasonable shops too, like H&M.  There are also lots of food carts and stands set up along the way.  Mostly, the options are shwarma or pølser, which are the least expensive anyway, but there are also gelato stands, a few cafes and restaurants in the plazas and squares (called torv), and even some fruit vendors.  2.) The Botanical Gardens, made with a lake that ties back to Medieval bastions in the old, old city.  The walks are winding and quiet, all with great views of either the lake or the surrounding historical buildings.  There are also self-guided tours that look at poisonous plants, or conversely, biblical plants.  3.) The Royal Gardens & Rosenborg Castle, which are found together across the street from the Botanical Gardens.  The Royal Gardens are much more formal, with straight walks and alleys under perfectly groomed trees.  There are also expansive lawns where Danes go to have picnics and sunbathe.  The Castle is also very old, dating back to the Renaissance.  It still has the original moat, as well as guards who patrol the grounds with very large guns, but like the British, completely ignore everything and everyone but their duty.  The Castle itself had gardens, again, very formal, but very beautiful, full of roses.  4.) Nyhavn (pronounced new-haav'n), the pictorially famous canal/port section of the city.  Honestly, I understand now why they take so many pictures of it.  Once the 'new' part of the city (ny means new, and havn means harbor), the buildings have lasted longer than in most other areas, and in fact, are some of the distinguishable oldest, at least the oldest in a large quantity.  The buildings are also a mix of stunning colors- red, yellow, white, blue- all along the street, which has in its center a canal full of (also) very old looking boats.  It feels a little like going back in time, except for all of the people walking around.  It was very, very crowded. 

A view of the canal, boats, and buildings of Nyhavn

5.) Rådhus, which means 'town hall'.  It's a neo-gothic building, which I don't greatly appreciate, but it has a grand stage presence.  Why?  Well, most obviously, it's quite large, but more than that, it is fronted by a large plaza, which seems to dramatically increase its perceived size.  Also, this square, lines with flashing signs and huge posters, has almost a hint of Times Square in it, and the overwhelming quantity of information makes the building look majestic and simple in comparison.  On the inside, there is a natural-light (but indoor, thank goodness) courtyard where events are held.  For us, it was orientation speeches, which were quite boring and long-winded.  What was nice were the many Danish flags hanging from the walls, and the 'pancakes' served to us afterward.  I put quotations around pancakes because that is what they were called, but they were really custard filled crepes.  What they are called in Danish, I am not sure, because I asked and was never told.  Hm. 

The DIS Opening Ceremony in the Raadhus Courtyard

6.) Parliament, the planned original home for the royal family, which is not where they live now.  But it is where the democratic government is run, as well as the justice system, and it is the location of the Queen's weekly council.  Apparently, the building is relatively new, given the fact that there were 2 others before it, both of which burned down in fires.  Again, it's big and imposing, but beautifully, crafted.  7.) Tivoli, perhaps the happiest place on earth.  I know, I know, people say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth BUT think about it this way: the Danes are the happiest people on earth, and this is their amusement park.  Plus, rumor has it that Disneyworld was inspired by Tivoli, with its international themes, and most importantly, its castle.  The lines for rides are shorter (although they do cost money on top of the entrance fee... leave it to a Dane), and there are shows and events that are presumably free all night long.

The gardens of Tivoli at night.

For now, I think I'm out of words.  Too bad, since I still have 45 minutes before a librarian shows up to let me check out a book.  However, in closing remarks: I like it here, in spite of the poor weather, and am looking forward to the even colder, wetter months (even though that does mean several fewer hours of sun), and to learning some the words to this very complicated language.  Classes start tomorrow, and then some structure returns to my life.  But, I plan to find some time for more unstructured wanderings and explorations to blog about very soon.